We talk to Karl Allen at Haus of Kaka

Hi Karl, would you like to tell us a bit about yourself and your own work?
My work dives into the tangled emotions around sexuality, the heavy shadows of shame, and the liberating truth of queer life.

The work allows for a tactile exploration of identity and memory, layering the old with the new, the forgotten with the now. It’s here in the juxtaposition of materials and messages, that a new dialogue emerges, a story of struggle, resilience, and the search for joy.

How did you select your guest artists?
I selected the artists from the AOH website by looking for people who would work well in the space.
I wanted work that made me smile (initially) then artists who delved into the world of fantasy and evoked a child state in the viewer or delved into queer representation.

Your whole house looks like an amazing installation and you have opened every part of it! What’s it like having visitors to your bedroom and bathroom?!
Opening your entire house is a very strange experience because you’re allowing the viewer to see how you live, to look around and discover parts of yourself that you normally keep hidden. What will they find? How will they perceive you?

This is the first time you have taken part in Artists Open Houses – what are you most enjoying about the experience?
I’ve enjoyed the process of just letting go and allowing others to enjoy the experience of the house.

Haus of Kaka
7 Bartholomews, Brighton and Hove, BN1 1HG
www.karlallenart.com
insta @karlallengallery

All photos: Syl Ojalla @brighton_photography_studio